If you read this, be ready to cry

[Guest guest]

His Name Was Sam

 

After I was discharged from the Navy, Jim and I moved back to Detroit to use

our GI bill benefits to get some schooling. Jim was going for a degree in

Electronics and I after much debating decided to get mine in Computer

Science. One of the classes that was a requirement was Speech. Like many

people I had no fondness for getting up in front of people for any reason let

alone to be the center of attention as I stuttered my way through some

unfamiliar subject, but I couldn't get out of the requirement and so I found

myself in my last semester before graduation with Speech as one of my classes.

 

On the first day of class our professor explained to us that he was going to

leave the subject matter of our talks up to us, but he was going to provide

the motivation of the speech. We would be responsible for six speeches, each

with a different motivation. For instance our first speech's purpose was to

inform. He advised us to pick subjects that we were interested in and

knowledgeable about. I decided to center my six speeches

around animals especially dogs.

 

My first speech was to inform, I talked about the equestrianart of dressage.

My second speech was to demonstrate, I brought my German Shepherd, Bodger, to

class and demonstrated obedience commands. Finally the semester was almost

over and I had but one more speech to give. This speech was to take the place

of a written final exam and was to count for fifty per cent of our grade. The

speeches motivation was to persuade. After agonizing over a subject matter,

and keeping with my animal theme, I decided on the topic of spaying and

neutering pets. My goal was to try to persuade my classmates to neuter their

pets. So I started researching the topic. There was plenty of material,

articles that told of the millions of dogs and cats that were euthanized

every year, of supposedly beloved pets that were turned in to various animal

control facilities for the lamest of reason, or worse dropped off far from

home, bewildered and scared. Death was usually a blessing. The final speech

was looming closer, but I felt well prepared. My notes were full of facts and

statistics that I felt sure would motivate even the most naive of pet owner

to succumb to my plea.

 

A couple of days before our speeches were due, I had the bright idea of going

to the local branch of the Humane Society and borrowing a puppy to use as a

sort of a visual aid. I called the Humane Society and explainedwhat I wanted.

They were very happy to accommodate me. I made arrangements to pick up a

puppy the day before my speech. The day before my speech, I went to pick up

the puppy. I was feeling very confident. I could quote all the statistics and

numbers without ever looking at my notes. The puppy,

I felt, would add the final emotional touch.

 

When I arrived at the Humane Society I was met by a young guy, named Ron. He

explained that he was the public relations person for the Humane Society. He

was very excited about my speech and asked if I would like a tour of the

facilities before I picked up the puppy. I enthusiastically agreed.

 

We started out in the reception area, which was the general public's initial

encounter with the Humane Society. The lobby was full, mostly with people

dropping off various animals that they no longer wanted. Ron explained to me

that this branch of the Humane society took in about fifty animals a day and

adopted out twenty. As we stood there I heard snatches of conversation, I

can't keep him, he digs holes in my garden. There such cute puppies, I know

you will have no trouble finding homes for them. She is wild,I can't control

her. I heard one of Humane Society's volunteer explain to the lady with the

litter of puppies that the Society was filled with puppies and that these

puppies, being black, would immediately be put to sleep. Black puppies, she

explained, had little chance of being adopted. The woman who brought the

puppies in just shrugged, I can't help it. They are getting too big, I don't

have room for them.

 

We left the reception area, Ron lead me into the staging area where all the

in coming animal were evaluated for adoptability. Over half never even made

it to the adoption center.There were just too many. Not only were people

bringing in their own animal, but strays were also dropped off. By law the

humane society had to hold a stray for three days. If the animal was not

claimed by then it was euthanized, since there was no background information

on the animal. There were already too many animals that had a known history

eagerly provided by their soon to be x owners. As we went through the

different areas, I felt more and more depressed. No amount of statistics,

could take the place of seeing the reality of what this throw away attitude

did to the living breathing animal. It was over overwhelming.

 

Finally Ron stopped in front of a closed door. That's it. He said. Except for

this. I read the sign on the door. Euthanization Area. Do you want to see

one? He asked. Before I could decline, he interjected, You really should, you

can't tell the whole story unless you experience the end. I reluctantly

agreed. Good. He said I already cleared it and Peggy is expecting you, He

knocked firmly on the door. It was open immediately by a middle aged woman,

in a white lab coat. Here's the girl I was telling you about. Ron explained.

Peggy looked me over. Well, I'll leave you here with Peggy and meet you in

the reception area in about fifteen minutes. I'll have the puppy ready. With

that Ron departed, leaving me standing in front of the stern looking Peggy.

Peggy motioned me in. As I walked into the room, I gave an audible gasp. The

room was small and sparten. There were a couple of cages on the wall and a

cabinet with syringes and vials of a clear liquid. In the middle of the room

was an examining table with a rubber mat on top. There were two doors other

than the one I had entered. Both were closed, one said to incinerator room,

and the other had no sign, but I could hear various animals noises coming for

behind the closed door. In the back of the room, near the door that was

marked incinerator, were the objects that caused my distress ---two wheel

barrels, filled with the bodies of dead kittens and puppies. I stared in

horror. Nothing had prepared me for this, I felt my legs grow weak and my

breathing become rapid and shallow. I wanted to run from that room,

screaming. Peggy seemed not to notice my state of shock. She started talking

about the euthanizaton process, but I wasn't hearing her. I could not tear my

gaze away from the wheel barrels and those dozens of pathetic little bodies.

 

Finally, Peggy seemed to noticed that I was not paying attention to her. Arey

ou listening? She asked irritably. I'm only going to go through this once. I

tore my gaze from the back of the room and looked at her. I opened my mouth

to say something, but nothing would come out, so I nodded. She told me that

behind the unmarked door were the animals that were scheduled for euthanasia

that day. She picked up the a chart that was hanging from the wall. One

fifty-three is next. She said as she looked at the chart. I'll go get him.

She laid down the chart on the examining table and started for the unmarked

door. Before she got to the door she stopped and turned around. You aren't

going to get hysterical are you? She asked Because that will only upset the

animals. I shook my head. I had not said a word since I walked into that

room.I still felt unsure if I would be able to without breaking down into

tears.

 

As Peggy open the unmarked door I peered into the room beyond. It was a small

room, but the walls were lined and stacked with cages. It looked like they

were all occupied. Peggy opened the door of one of the lower cages and

removed the occupant. From what I could see it looked like a medium size dog.

She attached a leash and ushered the dog into the room in which I stood.As

Peggy brought the dog into the room I could see that the dog was no more than

a puppy maybe five or six months old. The pup looked to be a amount of tan

above his eyes and on his feet. He was very excited and bouncing up and down,

trying to sniff everything in this new environment. Peggy lifted the pup onto

the table. She had a card in her hand.which she laid on the table next to me.

I read the card. It said that number one fifty-three was a mixed Shepherd, 6

months old. He was surrendered two days ago by a family. Reason of surrender

was given as jumps on children. At the bottom was a note that said Name: Sam.

Peggy was quick and efficient, from lots of practice, I guessed.

 

She laid one fifty-three down on his side and tied a rubber tourniquet around

his front leg. She turned to fill the syringe from the vial of clear

liquid.All this time I was standing at the head of the table. I could see the

moment that one fifty-three went from a curious puppy to a terrified puppy.

He did not like being held down and he started to struggle.It was then that I

finallyfound my voice. I bent over the struggling puppy and whispered Sam.

Your name is Sam. At the sound of his name Sam quit struggling. He wagged his

tail tentatively and his soft pink tongue darted out and licked my hand And

that is how he spent his last moment. I watched his eyes fade from

hopefulness to nothingness. It was over very quickly. I had never even seen

Peggy give the lethal shot. The tears could not be contained any longer. I

kept my head down so as not to embarrass myself in front of the stoic Peggy.

My tears fell onto the still body on the table.Now you know. Peggy said

softly. Then she turned away. Ron will be waiting for you. I left the room.

 

Although it seem like it had been hours, only fifteen minutes had gone by

since Ron had left me at the door. I made my way back to the reception area.

True to his word, Ron had the puppy already to go. After giving me some

instructions about what to feed the puppy, he handed the carrying cage over

to me and wished me good luck on my speech.

 

That night I went home and spent many hours playing with the orphan puppy. I

went to bed that night but I could not sleep. After a while Igot up and

looked at my speech notes with their numbers and statistics. Without second

thought I tore them up and threw them away. I went back to bed. Sometime

during the night I finally fell asleep.

 

The next morning I arrived at my Speech class with Puppy Doe. When my turn

came to give my speech. I walked up to the front the class with the puppy in

my arms. I took a deep breath, and I told the class about the life and death

of Sam. When I finished my speech I became aware that I was crying. I

apologizedto the class and took my seat. After class the teacher handed out a

critique with our grades. I had got a His comments said, Very moving and

persuasive.

 

Two days later, on the last day of class, one of my classmates came up to me.

She was an older lady that I had never spoken to in class. She stopped me on

our way out of the classroom. I want you to know that I adopted the puppy you

brought to class. She said. His name is Sam.

 

 

Ryan Courtade

President

Love All Animals

2 Rio Vista Dr.

Ft. Thomas, KY 41075

(859) 441-3907

(859) 441-2956 (fax)

Ryan

http://www.loveallanimals.com

 

 

(Author Unknown)